The Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl, and teams around the league have already started preparing for next season. Free agency starts next month, and many quality players are expected to be available.
This early in the process, it’s obvious that not all of these players will hit the open market. Teams will offer contract extensions, franchise tags, or trade said players to ensure they don’t walk for nothing. Check out our complete look at the 2026 NFL free agent class by position, but here are our rankings of the top running backs on the market this offseason.
Who Are the Top Running Backs in the 2026 NFL Free Agency Class?
The 2026 NFL free agent class figures to be pretty deep on running back talent. Of these top-10 players, seven are currently the primary starters for their respective teams. Tyler Allgeier has played a key role in the Atlanta Falcons’ offense in each of the last few seasons, and Rachaad White showed flashes in Bucky Irving’s absence this past season.
Breece Hall figures to be the highest-paid running back of the bunch next offseason. He’s been an above-average starter for practically his whole NFL career, averaging 60.7 rushing yards per game and serving as a reliable checkdown option. Still only 24 years old, he surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in 2025 and should get big money as a result.
Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III will also be a free agent, and if the Seahawks don’t re-sign him, multiple teams are expected to pursue him. According to PFSN’s RB Impact Metric, Walker finished the season as the 20th-ranked running back in the league with an impact score of 65.8.
There are a handful of other long-time contributors in line for solid contracts, as well. Rico Dowdle, Travis Etienne Jr., and Allgeier have all surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark at some point in their careers, and the latter could get a decent contract for a team willing to let him step out of Bijan Robinson’s shadow. J.K. Dobbins was also well on his way to reaching the 1,000-yard mark before needing surgery to repair a Lisfranc injury.
Here are the top-10 running backs in the 2026 free-agency class:
1) Breece Hall, New York Jets
2) Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers
3) Kenneth Walker II, Seattle Seahawks
4) Travis Etienne Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
5) Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons
6) J.K. Dobbins, Denver Broncos
7) Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
8) Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs
9) Brian Robinson Jr., San Francisco 49ers
10) Kenneth Gainwell, Pittsburgh Steelers
For a complete look at the 2026 NFL free agent class by position, click here.
